Snow Huts and Wonderland

Winter is the best time of the year!
It is when path sparkles and crunches like sugar underfoot. 
The only season that makes you feel like Alice because anywhere, everywhere  is a  wonderland.

Each year  Yunishigawa Onsen, a town in Tochigi becomes a winter wonderland with hundreds of kamakuras (snow huts) on display. 
The festival is known as Yunishigawa Kamakura Matsuri or Snow Hut Festival, it is held from late January to early March ( January 27 to March 4)on multiple sites across the town.
You can enjoy different activities like sleighing or having barbecue inside the snow huts (reservation required)with family or friends during the day.
The highlight of this event is when hundreds of miniature kamakuras are candlelit in the evening.

Heike no Sato (平家の里)

The main site of the event.
It is where you can experience having meals inside the big snow houses by day and illuminations in the evenings.
WInter's white blanket
Yunishigawa's Kamakuras
My new Snow House
Panoramic Outside Wonderland

Sawaguchi Riverbed


A spectacular night view!
There are about 800 illuminated mini snow huts lining the river bank.

Shine bright on a winter night
Stars on the white ground
image source: http://nikko-travel.jp/assets/img/event/fig_info_37.jpg


Address:
1042 yunishigawa,Nikko-city,Tochigi

Telephone Number: 0288-22-1525

Hours:
Main site: Heike-no-sato (09:00-21:00)
・ Mini-Kamakura site at the banks of the Sawaguchi River
(17:30-21:00) From January 27 to March 4, 2018 except Wednesday and Thursdays

Price:
Adult: 510 yen
Child: 300 yen
Night: 300 yen

Access:
By bus
Nikko Dial Bus 
 From Yunishigawa Onsen Station to HonkeBankyu  ( 25 minutes)
Cost : 880 yen one way
From Kinugawa Onsen Station to HonkeBankyu ( 55 minutes)
Cost: 1750 yen
By Car
Exit Imaichi IC and take Route 121 to prefectural highway Route 249. About a 70-minute drive.

Website: http://www.nikko-kankou.org/event/64/
Aira A